The Firestar
by Gloriendel-Rise
Summary: A year has past since the water spirit was born and Chagum returned to the palace as the Crown Prince. However, the fight they began in Nayug may not yet be over.
1. Return

Disclaimer: I do not own Seirei No Moribito or any of its characters :)

Balsa climbed the last few steps to the top of the hill. She leaned comfortably against her spear as she looked over the city in the New Yogo Empire she had left the year before. The smell of spring was in the air and the recent rain had given the air a sweet, pure scent. She breathed deeply, then sighed. It had been an entire year since the Second Empress had sought her out to protect Chagum. Since leaving the palace, Balsa had not seen the young prince once.

Sighing again, Balsa started walking down the road toward the city. With any luck, she would make it to the city in time to find a place to stay before night fell. She would go to the house Tanda had found for Tohya and Saya. No doubt business was bustling. Tanda had written to her to tell her that Zen, the man that had introduced himself as "Chief" to Tohya in order to locate Balsa and Chagum, had not only continued to do business with him, but had also introduced many other businessmen to him.

While she reminisced, she soon found herself in the bustling city. The sun was just beginning to touch the mountains to the west. She continued on to the business district as men were lighting lanterns to light the streets. She stopped in front of a building and smiled. Indeed business was bustling. Tohya had put up a request board similar to the one Tanda used. There were several orders hanging, waiting to be retrieved. Balsa walked in the open door.

"Tohya! Saya!" Two faces she expected to see and one she didn't responded to her calls. Balsa showed none of her surprise on her face, but her voice was enough.

"Tanda!?" Tanda's face lit up upon seeing her. He smiled gently as he looked at his childhood friend.

"Balsa," Tanda said and Balsa could detect a hint of relief in his voice. She smiled at it.

"Balsa-nee!* It's been a while!" Tohya's grin almost split his face, like always as he lifted a hand in greeting.

_*Note: Balsa-nee is the way Tohya refers to Balsa, he is essentially calling her his sister though they are not related by blood._

"Balsa-san*, welcome back." Saya, the most reserved of the three, was smiling as she bowed.

_*Note: Balsa-san is the way Saya and most other characters refer to Balsa, it is simply a respectful reference._

Balsa walked the rest of the way in at their beckoning. Tanda held the curtain aside and let Tohya and Saya through first, then followed them next to Balsa.

"Your letter said you were on your way back. I didn't expect you so soon though," Tanda said. Balsa laid her spear against the wall and removed her bag and cloak as she responded.

"The weather was good, so I got through the mountains quickly." Saya smiled as she reached for Balsa's cloak and hung it up for her. Tohya and Tanda were already sitting around a pot that was hung over the fire. Bowls were sitting in front of them. Balsa sat down and Saya had soon retrieved another bowl. She put in rice, then curry before handing it over to Balsa, who thanked her as she took it. The four were quiet for a while as they ate, then Tanda broke the silence.

"How long will you be staying?" He didn't look up at her, but Tohya and Saya did. All of them were hoping to hear she would be staying. Balsa smiled and gently laughed. She lowered her bowl and chopsticks slightly.

"I have saved eight lives. I have kept my promise to Jiguro. I have no reason to leave." Saya's and Tohya's smiles widened. Tanda felt his lips turning up, then he looked at Balsa. Her eyes were distant and she looked back at her spear.

"I may no longer be Chagum's bodyguard, but if the need ever arises, I will still protect him," Balsa said gently. Tanda sighed as he returned to his curry.

"And I suppose that means I will be the one patching you up time and again still." Balsa looked back at him with a smile. She knew how much he worried about her. She looked down into her bowl, which she had lowered to her lap.

"Sorry, Tanda. I guess I still haven't changed." He sighed and started eating again.

The next morning, Tanda left to check the message board in Upper Ougi for orders while Tohya started making his deliveries. Balsa decided to go see the blacksmith that had forged her spear. She was still curious about the incident with the Kalbo warrior. Why had her strike not killed him? Or at least wounded him? After thinking about it on her own, she had decided to ask the old man about the Ultimate Blade he had mentioned that day. Saya bid them all farewell as she collected the orders on the board for Tohya.

Tanda and Balsa walked side by side for a while. Balsa again had her spear balanced comfortably on her shoulder. Tanda looked at her, then looked forward again before speaking.

"Where will you stay? Now that you have decided to settle down? With Tohya and Saya," he asked? Balsa's expression didn't change as she answered.

"No, I don't want to impose on them like that. I haven't put very much thought into where I will stay, it didn't seem important at the time." Tanda's gaze flashed to her and her gaze slipped to his. Her eyes were searching his.

"At the time? What do you mean by that?" They had stopped walking and were now almost in a stare-down.

"I know you didn't come down because you thought I was going to be here. And you didn't come to deliver medicinal plants. I checked your board on my way in. You haven't put up the sign to let your customers know you are in town." Tanda's gaze became more troubled.

"It has been almost a year to the day since the water spirit was born. Tomorrow night is the full moon. I have been uneasy since last month," Tanda confessed. Balsa nodded.

"The same for me. Even so . . ." Balsa looked away, her gaze ended on the palace towers. Tanda followed her gaze.

"You are wondering if Chagum felt the same thing. I didn't tell Tohya or Saya. I didn't want them to worry. I was hoping to run into Zen and get some news of the imperial family." Balsa started walking again.

"A month ago, on the night of the full moon, I woke up in the middle of the night. It felt as if I was being attacked by La Lunga again. It was not a dream," she said. Anyone, but Tanda, would have been convinced that Balsa wasn't worried about it. Tanda, now slightly behind Balsa, looked down. He knew better than that. She was worried more than she had been in a long time. She stopped again a moment later and turned to look at him. His knowing eyes saw the worry and determination that arrayed her expression.

"Do you think it is possible that perhaps tomorrow night we will all cross over into Nayug again? And that perhaps it isn't just those that carry the water spirit's egg that La Lunga find to be a delicacy," she asked? Tanda sighed.

"Whatever we suspect, we will find out tomorrow night. There isn't anything else we can do," he said as he started walking again. He turned in the direction of the message board before saying, "I am meeting up with the Chief today. There was a message for me on Tohya's board this morning." Balsa nodded and walked in the direction of the smithy.

"Tell me what he says tonight. But don't tell Tohya and Saya until we know for sure."

"I agree, but they are sharp. I think they already suspect something. They are still wary after what happened before." That said, both turned and continued in their respective directions. However, neither made it to their destinations.

"Spear wielder, we meet again." Balsa, who had felt the presence of someone following her since she had left the shop that morning, didn't even flinch as four men surrounded her.

"Herbalist, if you would come this way please." Tanda stopped and looked up in surprise at a man directing him onto a side street and four additional men cutting off his escape routes.

More to come on this story, please R&R so I know how I'm doing (I'm a beginner) :)


	2. Vanished

Disclaimer: I don't own Seirei No Moribito.

"Is there something I can do for you?" Balsa hadn't moved her spear from her shoulder, but her shoulders were tense in the event that they attacked. The sun had risen high enough to light their faces clearly. All four of them bowed and she finally recognized who they were.

"The Second Empress has asked us to seek you out. Please accompany us to the palace." Balsa sighed and looked at her spear. It reminded her of how she had been summoned to the palace the previous time, and by the same people. That had been the night she took Chagum into her care.

"I should have taken care of this last night." She knew it would be pointless to ask the soldiers what the empress wanted, but she also knew that if she wanted to be able to stay near the palace without worry she would have to accept the empress' summon. She hoped that she may get to speak with Chagum.

"I will come." The men appeared relieved that she had agreed willingly, apparently they had not forgotten that she had easily defeated them the previous time. Once she was led into the palace, she realized that they had also not forgotten that she had threatened the empress. They attempted to make her leave her spear at the gate.

"I refuse. The Second Empress knows that I carry a spear." The men could not convince her to leave it and ended up sending a messenger to the empress for her permission, which she gave.

Several minutes later, Balsa found herself being led to an empty room. The door slid closed behind her back. Another few minutes passed and she saw another door on the opposite side of the room slide open. The Second Empress, Chagum's mother, walked in and Balsa bowed respectfully.

"I thank you for coming, Balsa. Rise." Balsa straightened her back and walked forward when the empress beckoned her. A moment later, Balsa knelt on a flat pillow in front of the empress. The empress looked over the woman in front of her, the woman that had taken the job of protecting and raising her son two years before.

"I have summoned you in place of my son, Crown Prince Chagum. I'm afraid the emperor has forbidden him to summon you." Balsa's eyes, which before had been curious and distrustful, closed slightly. Her eyes now showed her distrust, but were now close to menacing as well.

"Is Chagum well?" The empress sighed. The woman had not only taken in her son, but she clearly thought of him as a son as well.

"He is well, but a month past he . . ." The empress' eyes widened as Balsa suddenly started disappearing right before her eyes. Balsa's eyes widened as her hair began floating and she quickly grabbed her spear, which she had laid on the ground next to her. A moment later, the empress was the only one in the room. The empress gasped a moment later and ran from the room.

Tanda was lead down the side street for several minutes until they reached a house. The man leading whistled as they drew closer and the door opened. The six of them walked in and the men surrounding him bowed to a white-haired man sitting on the other side of the room.

"Shuga-san, I wasn't expecting to see you." Shuga, the white-haired man, smiled gently.

"I have need of your knowledge, Shaman apprentice. I have tried and failed to locate your master for the past month. I am worried about Prince Chagum. What these men have confided in me has also worried me." Tanda removed his pack and his shoes before kneeling on an available area of the floor.

"I have been worried too," Tanda sighed. "I wanted to speak with Mon to confirm my theory, but with all eight of you here this will be easier." Tanda's gaze swept the nine men in front of him as he continued, "I am guessing you experienced what I experienced." Jin met his gaze head-on, his face looked as determined as ever.

"So you were attacked by La Lunga?" Tanda nodded as his eyes, which usually induced tranquility in others, became more troubled.

"I think we might be pulled completely into Nayug tomorrow night. I've been trying to find Master Torogai, but she went to the Knot and I don't know where that is." Silence fell over the room.

"We need to inform His Highness of this. We will take precautions to ensure Prince Chagum's safety," Jin said. Tanda looked at Jin, vehement as always to protect Chagum.

"The only thing we will be able to do is stay close to the prince until we are sure what is going to happen," Tanda retorted calmly. Shuga nodded in agreement. He knew he would be of no use if Chagum were pulled into Nayug again. Mon stood and bowed to Shuga.

"I will go speak with His Highness now. I will come tomorrow and let you know what has been decided. If the spear wielder returns before tomorrow night I would like to speak with her."

"Balsa came back last night." Mon, halfway to turning, stopped and looked back.

"Did she tell you if . . ." Tanda nodded. Mon turned again and walked out the door. Jin and Yun followed. Tanda turned his head as Shuga spoke.

"What would cause Prince Chagum to cross over into Nayug again? There is no mention of this in the ancient tomb."

"I believe that there has never been a successful birth of the water spirit that didn't involve tearing the guardian apart though," Tanda grinned as Shuga's face took on a thoughtful expression. The master star diviner was very smart, but sometimes got so wrapped up in the resources that he had that he would forget to look elsewhere.

The gentle smiles that had lit both Tanda and Shuga's faces suddenly disappeared as Yun's long hair started floating. Shuga leapt to his feet as the six men left in the room disappeared before his eyes.

Author's Note: It took a little while to finish the second chapter, but here it is. Please read and review  I'd like to know how y'all think I'm doing ;).


	3. Nayug

Balsa took a deep breath as she was completely pulled into Nayug and the Empress disappeared along with the palace. She looked around and, as she had expected, Chagum was floating about thirty feet from her. He had been hiding behind a closed door the entire time. He looked at her, fear in his eyes, as she started swimming toward the surface. He followed when she looked back. He pushed his crown off his head and quickly shed the top layer of clothing, which was covered in heavy embroidery and jewels.

Chagum reached the surface a few seconds after Balsa. When his head broke the surface, he gasped for air. He had almost run out. Balsa, treading water next to him, was looking down at what had a moment before been the palace and royal city. Once she caught her breath, she remembered the danger they were in.

"Chagum, swim for land. La Lunga will be coming soon. We don't want to be in the water." Chagum, still catching his breath, nodded and started swimming. Balsa followed behind him a second later, watching carefully for any prowling La Lunga.

Neither of them spoke as they swam. It was like when they had first met. Both of them were trying to see what the other was feeling. Chagum's face had grown older over the past year, but he still showed his worry with a straight face as he always had. Balsa's face was, as always, a mask to anyone trying to read her thoughts. Her face was even harder to read as she concentrated on the tasks at hand.

Several minutes later, they were almost to the semi-safe land. Unlike in Sagu, where the area was rocky mountain, in Nayug it was lush fields of grass with trees off in the distance. Chagum knew that La Lunga could live and travel out of water, but not nearly as fast as they could run. His feet had started hitting sediment when Balsa spoke for the first time since they started swimming.

"Hurry, Chagum. They're here." Her urgency gave Chagum's tired legs another burst of energy. They were waist deep when Balsa turned.

"Run, Chagum!" Chagum looked back as Balsa pulled the sheath off her spear and threw it to the shore. A solitary La Lunga extended its huge tentacles toward Balsa as she pulled her spear through the air with absolute control. Two tentacles, which would have wrapped themselves around her body, fell into the water as La Lunga roared. Chagum desperately fought his way from the water and ran to a safe distance from the water's edge.

Balsa chanced a looked to make sure that Chagum had escaped the dangers of the water as she silenced the La Lunga in front of her. She knew another approached, but she had to be sure that he was safe. Satisfied to see him well away from the shore, she turned her attention back to the approaching La Lunga. She had managed to retreat to water that only reached a few inches above her knees, but she knew that she didn't have enough time to turn and run for the safety of the grass near Chagum. She taunted it with her spear, trying to get it closer so she could kill it and escape the water before the others she could see arrived. She caught the small tentacles the creature shot out in hopes of binding her. She thrust her spear forward into the creature's bulbous mid-section. She looked at the approaching La Lunga and started backing up.

"Chagum! Run into the trees! Get away from here!" Chagum stood, fear shining in his eyes as he turned to run again.

Meanwhile, Tanda and the eight soldiers had also made it to land. They had quickly defeated the handful of La Lunga that had reached them before they escaped the water. Now, they were running through the unfamiliar fields in search of Chagum and Balsa. The eight soldiers, much faster than Tanda, split into two groups. One group stayed with Tanda while the other group ran ahead. They ran for several minutes with no luck.

"Wait a minute!" Tanda called out as he slowed and started swiveling his head. Jin, impatient as always, had his hand on his hilt and his face in an irritated scowl.

"What it is, healer? We must find Prince Chagum!" Jin had been extremely irritated when Mon ordered him to stay with Tanda, along with Sun, Yun, and Taga. Tanda was panting as he turned completely, looking back the way they had come.

"Some of the land is the same in Sagu and Nayug. If we can find a landmark similar between the two, we will know where we are relative to where the palace was." Jin's face softened slightly in surprise as Tanda continued desperately searching for something familiar. A moment later, his eyes lit up and he pointed.

"That is where the road to Kanbal starts." He lifted his other arm to point directly out over the water. His chest was still heaving. Jin finished for him as he caught his breath.

"That means the palace was over there. Yun, we'll go check it out. Sun, Taga, prepare a signal fire." Yun and Jin ran for the water's edge that was hidden from view by a small hill, Tanda joined them several seconds later. The three scanned over the water and grassy plain in front of them.

"There!" Yun lifted his arm and pointed. Jin turned and whistled to Sun and Taga, who started signaling that they had found the Prince. Yun waited until Jin started running, but Tanda had already started running and was almost down the hill.

"The Spear-wielder has found His Highness first." Yun didn't respond to Jin's comment as they easily overtook Tanda racing across the flat, grassy plain.

"Something is wrong with her," Yun observed in a toneless voice. Two La Lunga were already dead, but there were more that she was fighting with. And there were more on the way. Sun and Taga, after signaling Mon, had followed quickly.

They heard her yell to Chagum after she killed the second La Lunga and saw him stand and turn. She was practically surrounded by La Lunga as she started backing out of the water, she appeared to be limping.

"Balsa!" Tanda's distressed voice alerted Chagum that they were coming, but he didn't turn to their voices. Instead he looked back at Balsa again. Tanda had yelled because two La Lunga had attacked and as one had tried to wrap its smaller tentacles around her arms, restricting her spear movement, the other caught her legs. As she was lifted out of the water and her spear handle wrapped in tentacles, Sun drew a fire arrow back and let it loose at one La Lunga as Jin flung shuriken at the other. Both La Lunga roared as they unwillingly released their grip on Balsa, but she wasn't able to catch herself. Her leg, which Tanda had seen dripping blood as La Lunga tightened its grip, gave out under her and she fell to her hands and knees. She struggled to her feet again and stopped the attack from another La Lunga.

More La Lunga were appearing. Soon they would be overrun. Jin and Yun reached Balsa in time to deflect another attack from the pair of wounded La Lunga. Both creatures were soon dead. As Jin and Yun guarded Balsa's slow retreat, Tanda reached the water's edge and started splashing toward the limping Balsa. Suddenly, Balsa's leg was jerked out from under her and she fell forward with a grunt. With a swing from her spear, a La Lunga roared and she continued her escape. Tanda pulled her arm up around his shoulders and half carried her out.

"Get out of the water! They can hide their tentacles under the sand and get your legs!" Balsa warned. Jin and Yun looked down in time to protect their own legs from the tentacles that shot out of the sediment beneath them.

Sun and Taga finally caught up to them and joined Jin and Yun at the water's edge. Chagum ran forward and supported Balsa's other side as the small group slowly retreated.

"Get into the trees! That should slow them enough to let us escape," a familiar voice called. The four warriors were on the sandy beach when the other four appeared and Mon took command. Though they didn't turn their backs on La Lunga, they did begin hastening their retreat until they had put enough space between them so they could turn.

"Zen! The spear-weilder!" Zen, the biggest of the eight men, stopped in front of Balsa, who was nearly unconscious from loss of blood and pain. With swift, precise movements, Zen lifted her onto his back and started running again with Chagum and Tanda following as fast as they could.

They ran deep into the trees until they could no longer hear the rampaging La Lunga behind them. Zen laid Balsa on the moist ground. Tanda was already digging through the bag at his waist. His hands came out full of bandages and leaves. Balsa had lost consciousness along the run and her face was pale.

Tanda looked closely at her leg and sighed as he started working. Chagum knelt by his side, worry shining in his eyes as he watched Balsa's face. He didn't say anything as Tanda worked cleaning, stitching, and wrapping. Before long, half of Balsa's leg was tightly wrapped in clean, white cloth. All eight of the soldiers had taken positions surrounding the three. Unfamiliar sounds surrounded them and they looked for the sources, but couldn't find them. Tanda was the only one not appearing worried as he sat back.

"Will she be alright, Tanda?" Tanda looked at Chagum's worried eyes and was reminded of the last time Balsa had received a near fatal wound. It had come from Mon's sword. He sighed and looked at his dear friend's face.

"Yes, Chagum. It looked bad since she fainted, but it looks like La Lunga have a natural sedative in those tentacles. She should wake up soon." Indeed, Balsa's eyes were starting to flutter. Her eyes opened and Tanda helped her sit up.

"Balsa, are you okay?" Chagum's worried voice immediately drew her attention. Balsa's gaze shifted to Chagum as he leaned closer to her. She smiled.

"I'm okay, Chagum." Chagum's face split into a grin and he hugged her. She flinched as her leg was jostled, but didn't make a sound.

"I've missed you, Balsa. I sent Shuga to look for you, but he couldn't find you. I thought . . . I thought . . . ." He tilted his head to look up at her.

"Father sent assassins after you," he said with worry in his voice. Balsa's smile faded and she nodded. Chagum sat back again when he realized he was smashing her wounded leg. Balsa looked at the spear that was laying next to her and picked it up. Her gaze followed the familiar curves of the blade.

"I wanted to ask the blacksmith about that." Chagum looked at the blade in confusion. The eight warriors had turned to face the unfamiliar forest and drawn a tighter circle around the three. Balsa didn't let herself be distracted for long.

"Can you contact Shaman Torogai, Tanda?" Tanda sighed, she was back to herself again. Tanda stood, brushing off his clothes and helped her stand, leaning on her spear to keep the weight off her leg.

"I don't know if I can, but if I can I'll need water." Balsa nodded and the eight warriors split up into the trees already knowing what Balsa had in mind.


	4. Shuga and Torogai

Disclaimer: I do not own Seirei or any of the characters. 

Upon the disappearance of the warriors and Tanda, Shuga rushed back to the palace. His worry for Chagum was confirmed when he saw the Second Empress in Chagum's rooms with tears running down her cheeks.

"Second Empress, I . . . ." Shuga paused as the Second Empress stood. She turned her gaze to him as she had before when Chagum was supposedly possessed by a demon. Worry for her son's safety shone in her eyes, along with a mother's determination to see her son came to no harm. Shuga closed his still open mouth and bowed. She did not even have to make her request. Shuga knew that, unlike the Emperor, the Second Empress was not afraid to call on help from outside the palace Star Diviners when Prince Chagum was involved. She had lost him once, then her elder son. She would do anything to see that she did _not _loose him permanently.

"I will search for the Yakue Shaman Torogai, and I will personally search through the translations of the tablets to find an answer. I will tell no one else." Shuga turned to leave as the Second Empress nodded her approval. If the Emperor discovered that Chagum had disappeared again, and on the eve of the anniversary of his triumph over La Lunga, he may consider that Chagum was again possessed by a being of Nayug. Since the Nyunga Ro Im (Water Spirit) only laid its eggs once every one hundred years, there was no chance that Chagum could again be possessed by an egg laid by the spirit.

Shuga left the palace for the Star Diviner's hall. Before he searched out the old shaman, he wanted to read the account of the Master Star Diviner's experience with the water spirit. Although the child did not survive, perhaps he could find a clue there.

Upon entering the hall, Shuga walked straight to a bookshelf with the translations of the tablets. They had been bound into books and Shuga pulled down the first of the several books on the shelf. He turned to sit at the table behind him with the open book in his hand. He pulled a lamp closer to the book to light up the fine writing on the page. His eyes swept over the pages of the book quickly until he found where the account of the water spirit began. He slowed his reading, studying every sentence for some clue to why Prince Chagum and the others had disappeared. Though he hadn't confirmed the spear-wielder's disappearance, he was sure that she too had disappeared with the others that had been in Nayug the year before.

The day went on and Shuga continued to read the account over and over. Nothing was mentioned that would help him find Prince Chagum. Shuga was turning back to the first book again to start reread when a messenger walked into the hall. Shuga looked up as the man bowed, then rose to his feet to accept a rolled paper.

"This arrived this morning. It was brought to us by a bird we did not recognize." Shuga nodded and dismissed the messenger before opening the message. He recognized the familiar writing of the spear-wielder. He read in interest.

A month ago I was pulled between Sagu and Nayug.

Shuga found himself grinning in spite of himself at how blunt the spear-wielder was. When he had gotten the chance to better know her when she traveled back to the palace with the soldiers, she had not been particularly open with him. He knew she had been preparing herself for the inevitable. He continued reading.

I worry for Chagum. Should he be pulled into Nayug again, La Lunga may try to kill him. Tanda and I agree that we may be taken into Nayug again at the full moon.

Shuga turned the short note over, looking for more. When he found none, he sat back down and sighed. However, he was surprised to find himself relieved. The spear-wielder had been in the city when Chagum and the others disappeared. If she had disappeared with them, she would die before allowing harm to come to the prince. He found that more comforting than knowing that the eight warriors had also disappeared.

Now, however, he wanted to try contacting the shaman. She was the hardest person to find. He sighed and, after replacing the books he had been using, walked out of the hall to find himself looking up at the night sky. He looked at the rising moon. It was almost full. He had spent longer in the hall than he had intended. He entered his small room shortly after and sat down at the simple desk to write a letter to Torogai. He was half-way through the letter before he realized the messengers that had the best chance of finding her were unable to do so. He sighed as he realized the new problem, but finished his letter before trying to find an answer to the problem.

Several minutes later, he set down his brush and closed the inkwell, leaving the message to dry on his desk. He walked to the window to consider whom he could send to look for the shaman that would have a chance to find her. He found himself sighing again. The eight warriors were the only ones he trusted to be able to find Shaman Torogai and he was relatively sure that they could deliver the message without her pulling some trick as she had a tendency of doing. With them gone, there was no one that Shuga could trust to deliver a message. Shuga turned and walked to his bed. He laid down with a sigh as exhaustion hit him. He hadn't eaten since breakfast and his stomach growled, but his need for sleep was overpowering. He hadn't been sleeping well since Prince Chagum had been pulled between Sagu and Nayug the month before.

Shaman Torogai pulled her head from the water and gasped for air. She sat panting for a few seconds before pulling her legs up and picking up her hat. The small long-eared animal jumped into her lap and chattered contently as she pet it.

"Hm . . .so La Lunga are acting strangely? The water people could try bearing with it for a little longer and give me more information. Tch . . . better go check on my fool of an apprentice." She stood and the animal leapt to her shoulder and then into her hat, where he nestled into the straw and hair. The burrow that continually 'insisted' on coming with her was cropping grass, but looked up when she appeared again. She climbed onto his back and turned him toward the trees.

It was late when Torogai heard a familiar call. She looked at a small waterfall and pond she was passing. She climbed from the burrow's back and walked to the water's edge. A moment later, she put her face in the water and saw one of the water people swimming toward her. It spoke to her in clicks and trills with an occasional name. She nodded and pulled her head from the water again. She caught her breath for a moment before mounting the burrow again.

"It seems the danger is closer than I thought." The burrow started moving again, faster than before. With a little help from Shaman Torogai, they would reach the edge of the forest by morning. She reached up and picked up the animal in her hat. She put a rolled up note in his mouth.

"Take this to that youngin' in the palace." The animal let out a muffled trill, then bounded out of her hand and dashed ahead of the burrow.

Shuga woke the next morning to see a pair of ears flicking around over his face. He followed the ears down to see the face of the small animal Shaman Torogai carried in her hat. His eyes widened as the animal jumped off his chest and nuzzled a rolled note with his nose and a trill. Shuga quickly opened it and found a short note from the shaman telling him she was coming. He was a mix of surprise and relief. The shaman knew something had happened _and_ she was coming. She would arrive that afternoon. He again found himself grinning. He knew she would be expecting plenty of sake* and food.

_Note: sake is a common alcoholic drink_

The day passed with Shuga waiting outside the gates, _trying_ to wait patiently for the arrival of the old shaman. Finally, the old woman appeared riding the same burrow she had ridden the year before. He sighed in relief and smiled as she drew closer. The burrow's ears flicked as she climbed down and sent him on his way.

"A good one, that creature. He really took to me." She hadn't even acknowledged Shuga until the burrow had started walking back the way he had come, no doubt headed for where his actual owner was.

"Well, boy, are we going to eat or stand here?" Shuga's smile grew slightly and he laughed gently. She had greeted him just as he had expected.

"I have arranged for a meal to be prepared. I'm sure you would like to bathe after your long journey too." Shaman Torogai looked up at him as he directed her into a side gate.

"You are impatient, boy. We have no time to loose. Being taken into Nayug is not a gentle matter," she said with a hard look at his face. Shuga sighed as she walked past him.

"So, you know what has happened?" Shaman Torogai's staff clunked quietly on the stones of the walk. Shuga's hopeful question was squashed with her reply.

"My stupid apprentice has told me that they were pulled into Nayug. They seem to be safe for the time being, but we need to find a way to bring them back. La Lunga are hunting them." Shuga forced himself not to ask for the prince's well-being as they walked through a door opened by a servant. A bottle of sake was standing next to a long table of food and a pillow for the Shaman to sit on.

"I will eat while you tell me what you know." Shuga sighed again as she took a long drink of the cooled sake. She was quite overwhelming.

I'm trying to keep the chapters coming  School is making it interesting though. Please R&R!


	5. Chased Away

Disclaimer: You already know that I don't own Seirei No Moribito, but I'll keep saying it 

Balsa was limping heavily as the group hurried through the trees. Tanda was supporting her bad side and Chagum was trotting along just ahead of her, looking back every now and again to check on her.

"Chagum, watch where you're going. If you trip and hurt yourself you will cause more trouble." Chagum quickly turned his head forward and paid attention to the trail the warriors were making through the dense foliage. They had found a pond that Tanda could use to contact Shaman Torogai. As he finished sending her the message, Jin had jumped out of the trees where Mon and Balsa were talking. La Lunga were entering the forest and were moving in their direction rapidly. The trees were slowing them some, but they would catch up to the group quickly. The small group had made haste to leave. None of them had any desire to fight with La Lunga again.

Balsa could feel her leg would not support her in a fight. She couldn't feel anything below her knee. She looked up as Mon turned and stopped. She took her weight off the panting Tanda and leaned on her spear again. Tanda stood next to her trying to catch his breath. They had traveled several miles in the few hours that had passed.

"Yun, Jin." The two leapt into the trees and disappeared in the direction they had just come. Mon motioned the other five warriors to guard the perimeter. He walked back to where Chagum was helping Balsa sit so Tanda could see to her leg. Mon stayed quiet while the bandages were removed. The wound was swollen and red, despite Tanda's ministrations. Balsa laid back and closed her eyes as Tanda handed a bowl and leaves to Chagum.

"Chagum, grind these leaves until you have a good pulp. Then I'll tell you how to make a poultice. Balsa, try to lift your leg." Chagum quickly set to mashing the leaves in the bowl. Balsa tried to lift her leg, but shook her head after a moment.

"I can't feel anything below my knee." Tanda sighed.

"Is the numbness spreading, or is it staying below your knee?" Balsa had laid back again.

"It is staying below my knee." Chagum showed Tanda the leaves and was told to grind them more. Chagum's knuckles were green from the smashed leaves. Mon crouched next to them and examined the wound himself. He looked up at Balsa, who had opened her eyes when he crouched.

"Why did this not happen when we were attacked by La Lunga before?" Mon asked. Though he looked at Balsa, his question was directed at Tanda. Tanda stopped preparing the other ingredients of the poultice to look at the warriors' leader.

"I can only guess, but I suppose it has something to do with how La Lunga attack. Usually they will use their small tentacles to capture their prey and . . ." Balsa broke in when he took a breath.

"La Lunga were waiting for us." Tanda looked at her with his mouth slightly open, then his mouth closed and he nodded.

"A year ago, Shuga-san, Shishio*, and I watched La Lunga capture and kill a bear cub carrying one of the spirit's eggs. The cub was torn apart." Tanda looked back at Chagum to see how he was taking the story and continued preparing the other ingredients for the poultice.

_Note: Tanda calls Shaman Torogai by 'Shishio' the Japanese word usually translated as 'master'. Tanda is Torogai's apprentice. I watched the anime in Japanese, so it didn't sound right to change the titles to English (hence I use –san, -chan, -kun, etc.)_

"La Lunga didn't have any of you in position to tear you apart before. And they wouldn't, for whatever reason, injure you without having you in a position to be eaten. La Lunga have an advantage though. They obviously live for hundreds of years. It is possible that La Lunga have learned to injure us from a distance before trying to kill us." Mon's expression didn't change as Tanda turned to Balsa's leg and wrapped it in the poultice. Chagum held the poultice in place as Tanda again wrapped bandages around Balsa's leg.

"We'll have to wait for Shishio to contact us, she'll know more." Balsa leaned forward as Tanda finished wrapping her leg. She looked up into the trees a moment before Jin and Yun reappeared.

"We came across La Lunga several miles back, but they were retreating. They must have lost our scent." Mon nodded, but Balsa's eyes narrowed. Mon noticed.

"What do you think, spear-wielder?" Balsa looked up at him, her jaw set.

"I think La Lunga may have been frightened away by something else. I think they wouldn't give up so easily." Mon looked at the two kneeling in front of him before whistling into the trees. The other warriors almost instantly appeared in a circle.

"Healer, do you know of anything that may scare away La Lunga?" Tanda's eyes squinted as he thought. He looked up a moment later.

"Perhaps a fire spirit. As La Lunga are earth spirits, they would be vulnerable to the fire spirits, just as the water spirit was vulnerable to La Lunga." Mon pondered Tanda's answer as Balsa, with help from Chagum, sat forward.

"For now we should stay here. I can hear a spring close by. We can talk to Shaman Torogai." Mon nodded and sent his men out with new orders. Four of them stayed to watch for predators and the other three scouted for anything that may have frightened off La Lunga.

Night came and the warriors took turns guarding in groups of three, circulating out one at a time. Tanda stayed by Balsa so he could tend her leg through the night if he needed to. Chagum had taken off the upper layers of his royal clothes and removed the ties from his hair, which had been falling out anyway. He tied his hair into a ponytail and used his discarded clothes as bedding at Jin and Balsa's insistence.

Around midnight, Tanda woke to Balsa standing, with the help of her spear. She sat against the rock they were sleeping near. He stood as she took out the supplies to sharpen the blade. The moon was almost full so there was plenty of light to work by. She looked at him as he came closer. Even in the pale moonlight, he could see that her eyes were hiding pain. She could hide her pain from the most experienced healers, but he was her friend. He had known her for so long that there was little she could hide from him.

"It's not numb anymore." He did not pose it as a question. She smiled as she gently laughed. He knew he was right and set to removing her bandages to see the wound. She ran her sharpening stone over the edge of her blade with a comforting 'shick' as Tanda probed her leg. The pain was becoming unbearable. It was more painful than the time Mon had given her an almost fatal gut wound. She looked up as Mon stirred and sat up. He looked at them for a moment before standing and approaching.

"Healer, did you and the shaman come to a conclusion of why we were brought into Nayug?" he asked. Tanda looked up at him. Tanda and Shaman Torogai had conversed for several seconds once Balsa and Chagum were settled. However, he hadn't shared what Torogai had said with the others. Balsa's sharpening stone broke the momentary awkward silence. Tanda turned back to her leg and started mixing more of his leaves before answering.

"Shishio thinks that perhaps the effects of the Sig Salua we ate before need to be countered by something else. She and Shuga-san are searching through the translations from the old tomb, but she doesn't have much hope for it. She is going to try and go to the knot to ask the water people, seeing as how we can't get close to the water with La Lunga here."

"So they do not know how long we will be here, or if there is even a way to get back." Tanda didn't look up from grinding the leaves. Balsa lifted her spear and sighted down the blade to make sure it was straight.

"We can only wait," she said as she lowered her spear to her lap again. Mon shifted his gaze to her, but didn't say anything. A moment later, Hyok jumped into the firelight from the trees. His shock of almost white hair made him look like a spirit. Mon turned to get the report before Hyok retired to sleep. A moment later, Mon disappeared into the trees to take his turn on watch.

Balsa's eyes carefully followed the progress of her sharpening stone as she ignored the pain in her leg. Tanda finished mixing the leaves and herbs a moment later. He put the concoction on a large leaf, amazingly still in one piece, and pressed it against the wound. Balsa's eyes narrowed for a moment, but as he began wrapping it again her eyes slowly relaxed.

"We know Shaman Torogai's view." Balsa turned her gaze to Tanda, who didn't meet her gaze. She continued, "What do you think?" Tanda sighed as he secured the bandages with a knot.

"I don't know. I found it strange that we were pulled here before the full moon." Tanda turned and sat down with his back against the rock. Balsa could see that he was thinking and didn't disturb him with more questions. The new herbs were taking the edge off the pain and she was soon ready to try sleeping again. Tanda helped her lay down before laying down himself. It was almost morning. They could see the rays of sunlight permeating the dark sky in the east. Both of them closed their eyes and were soon asleep.

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. First it was school, then my internet went crazy. Hope everyone enjoys! The next chapter should be out a lot quicker  Please R&R!


	6. Traveling in Nayug

Disclaimer: Yeah, don't own Moribito, but you already knew that  ENJOY!

The next day, the small group stayed near the river, but continued traveling further into the forest. Though there was no sign of La Lunga returning, they didn't want to chance staying in the same place for too long. Though at Tanda's insistence, they took short breaks every few hours so he could change the poultice on Balsa's leg.

The wound was still an angry red and very swollen. While they had been sleeping, the swelling had grown bad enough that Balsa could no longer bend her knee. When Tanda was making a new poultice, Chagum insisted that he be allowed to help, despite Jin's insistence that he didn't need to.

"Balsa got hurt again because I couldn't do anything to help. I had even had training to wield a spear. And I couldn't do anything." Balsa turned her head toward him and gently smiled. She had barely slept the night before and the swelling was making it very difficult to traverse the uneven terrain. There were dark circles under her eyes and her face was pale.

"A bodyguard being worried over by the one she is protecting, how sad." Chagum looked up at her in surprise. She had said the exact same thing the last time she had been badly wounded, just after they had first met. He looked down at the leaves he was crushing. Balsa cringed as Tanda tried to get her knee to bend.

Chagum finished crushing the leaves and handed them to Tanda, who started mixing in the other ingredients. Soon, Balsa's bandages were back in place and they started moving again. Chagum, who had been simply walking ahead of Balsa and Tanda, suddenly got a determined look on his face. He drew the short sword she had given him and started cutting a path through the thick undergrowth that the warriors missed, making Balsa's passage easier. Balsa smiled as Chagum fought to cut the growth, some of it very thick and sturdy. Tanda, supporting Balsa, watched his progress as he and Balsa slowly followed.

"He has gotten much stronger," Balsa quietly observed. Tanda looked at her and saw the same look she had worn when she and Chagum had said what was to have been a final good-bye. His grin widened. Balsa, for all her stubborn and violent ways, was one of the kindest souls he had ever met. Where Chagum was concerned, Balsa had an even softer heart than usual.

It was dark before Mon called for them to stop. After only a few minutes, the other warriors had noticed what the young prince was doing and had taken care to cut more growth from the path. Their longer swords and stronger arms made quick work of the thickest plants while Chagum came behind and took care of the smaller plants. Still, the young prince hadn't worked so hard since he, Balsa, Tanda, and Shaman Torogai had traveled up to the hunter's cave, where they had stayed the winter before the water spirit was to be born. Chagum was exhausted and his arm was clearly very sore from cutting through the foliage.

Chagum looked up at the towering trees as he sat on a nearby rock to catch his breath. Tanda helped Balsa to the same rock, but she opted to sit on the ground. Chagum looked down to her face. She was still pale and the shadows under her eyes had darkened further still. He bent over with his hands folded in his lap until she looked at him, a small smile on her lips. Before he could say anything, she lifted a hand.

"Let me see your hands, Chagum." Chagum sat back and pulled his hands closer to his stomach. Balsa didn't move her hand and Chagum soon gave up. She looked, without surprise, at the blisters that covered his hands. Some blisters had gotten bad enough that they were bleeding.

"Come down here." Chagum, his hands still being held by Balsa's, slipped off the rock to kneel next to her. Tanda, who was again checking Balsa's wound, had set a small jar next to his bag. Balsa picked it up and opened it. She gently rubbed the ointment over Chagum's palms. Chagum flinched as the ointment stung the open wounds, but he didn't pull his hands away. Balsa's hands were gentle and warm. After the ointment, Balsa took a small roll of clean bandages and proceeded to wrap his hands. He watched her in silence. Once Chagum's hands had been wrapped, Jin approached.

"Prince Chagum, your meal is ready." Chagum looked back a him, then returned his gaze to Balsa. Balsa smiled and nodded. Chagum stood and walked to where the warriors had lit a fire and prepared the food.

"Balsa, can you move your leg?" Balsa, who had been staring at Chagum, pulled her mind back to Tanda as he spoke. She tried to lift her leg, but managed to do little more than twitch her toes. She sighed and laid back against the rock as Tanda applied another poultice and wrapped her leg again.

"I'll be back in a minute," he said as he stood and walked to the fireside. Balsa could hardly keep her eyes open. She was exhausted and the pain in her leg was continuing to build. Tanda had turned and started walking back when her eyes closed and her consciousness slipped away.

Tanda returned to Balsa's side only to find that she had fallen asleep. He sighed and carefully lifted her off the ground, cradling her against his chest. He walked to the fireside and gently laid her down in the spot he had cleared for her. Before he laid her head down, Chagum laid a rolled up tunic under her as a pillow. Tanda chose not to argue when he saw Chagum's determined gaze, not even Jin argued.

Balsa woke in the middle of the night to sharp pain coursing through her leg. She gasped and Tanda immediately appeared over her head. She ground her teeth against the pain as Tanda quickly unwrapped the wound.

As soon as the wound was exposed, Tanda could see what was wrong. The wound had reopened, tearing the stitches, and infection that had been building up, which Tanda had been unable to treat, was oozing out. Tanda quickly started cleaning the wound to prevent the infection from hardening and trapping the rest of the infection in the wound again.

After two hours, Tanda finished tying the final stitches and started wrapping Balsa's leg again. It was still oozing, but it seemed that most of it had come out. The swelling in Balsa's leg was already coming down and the pain was beginning to ease. When he finished wrapping her leg, Tanda lifted her head and helped her drink the herbal tea he had kept warm over the fire for that purpose.

"Your leg should start healing now that the infection is gone." Balsa sighed in relief.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Don't worry. You only slept for a few hours . . . but you missed dinner," Tanda added with a smile.

"How long do you think before I'll be able to use my leg again?" she queried as she tried, and failed, to lift her leg. Tanda looked down at her in exasperation as he responded.

"Don't push yourself so hard, Balsa. It is going to be at least two days before the infection is completely gone and the cut is deep. You won't be able to walk without help for at least a week." Balsa finally noticed the tunic Chagum had rolled up for her pillow.

"Chagum insisted," Tanda said with a smile and a soft laugh. Balsa smiled and closed her eyes again.

"Have you heard from Shaman Torogai?" Her question instantly put the mood where it had been before and Tanda shook his head with a frown.

"I haven't heard from Shishio since I spoke to her that first day," he said with a sigh. He lifted his gaze to the horizon where the sun had yet to make its appearance.

"Tonight was the anniversary of the Spirit's birth. I'm still curious as to why we were pulled into Nayug before tonight. Tohya and Saya must be worried," Tanda said. Balsa's gaze turned to the canopy of trees overhead.

"And after we went through the trouble to keep them from worrying," Balsa sighed. Tanda slowly turned his gaze back to her, then pulled the edge of the blanket to her shoulders. The motions were so familiar, so welcome.

"We still have a few hours until sunrise. You should get some more sleep," Tanda said as he stood and stoked the coals in the fire. Balsa turned her head to look at his back. Despite the fact that Tanda had told her to sleep, she couldn't close her eyes. His calm presence was the best medicine for her aching body. She brought her gaze around to the trees again. Why couldn't she tell him how she felt?

I made some small grammar changes to the previous chapters, so that's why those changed. Keep the advice coming! I really appreciate it 


	7. Back to Sagu

Disclaimer: Do I really need to say this again?

Balsa and Tanda were waken just as the sun was beginning to peek over the horizon by an alarmed yelp from the warriors on guard. As soon as their vision cleared, they saw why. They were transitioning between Nayug and Sagu again. This time, however, they were not on land in both places. In Sagu they had managed to travel to the Aogiri Pass, the mountain they were on in Nayug had carried them high above the center of the pass. And the pass was no doubt very thick with poison. If they fell, none of them would survive more than five seconds if they survived the fall.

The warriors that had been sleeping leapt to their feet instantly. They had seconds to get to where they would be able to stop their long fall. If they fell to the road, the fall was long, but they had a chance of surviving. The poison gave zero chance. Jin pulled Chagum from the ground and ran as fast as he could, dragging the young prince behind him with an apology. Balsa struggled to her feet, her wounded leg still stiff, with help from Tanda and they ran as fast as they could for where the cliffs of the Aogiri were becoming more pronounced.

The unburdened warriors made it to the safety of the sheer cliff wall, which they quickly took hold of. If they didn't need to fall, they wouldn't. Jin and Chagum began falling as they fully transitioned to Sagu. With a powerful leap from Jin, he and Chagum were carried within grabbing distance of the cliff walls. Tanda and Balsa, however, hadn't even made it to the safety of the road as they began falling.

"BALSA! TANDA!" Chagum called desperately as he watched the two of them begin plummeting for the deadly canyon below.

Balsa's skirt flared as she and Tanda felt the ground disappear beneath their feet. Tanda's arm tightened around her waist. Balsa heard Chagum yell for her, but her full attention was on the man at her side. Tanda wasn't yelling, he just held her close to him. He knew there was no way he could have made it pulling her along. She could hardly jog with her leg. Yet he had stayed by her, just as he always had.

As they fell passed the road that was still several feet from reach, Tanda's gaze turned to her and held her eyes with his. There were tears coming from his eyes as the wind stung them, she could feel tears in her own eyes. He had pulled her around so he could wrap his arms around her waist. She still had her arm around his shoulders and her other hand tightly grasped her spear. As Tanda leaned closer, Balsa recalled the year before when Shaman Torogai had told her about the woman that wanted to propose a marriage for her daughter with Tanda. At the time she had responded that it sounded like a good match, but now she realized that the sinking in her heart at that time hadn't been only because of the knowledge that she could never see Chagum again. She didn't want to loose Tanda. She wished that she had realized it then, instead of now at the end.

Chagum watched as Tanda and Balsa fell closer to their certain deaths. Tears were streaming down his cheeks as he yelled. Just before they would disappear into the depths of the deadly mists, he saw Tanda reach for Balsa. Before, she would have responded by discouraging him, but as he watched, she too leaned in and, for the first time ever, the love each shared for the other blossomed as they kissed for the first and last time.

"My stupid apprentice said they were traveling east. That means they should be around the Aogiri if they made good time with Balsa wounded." Torogai and Shuga, who had a bandage wrapped around one of his hands, were riding as fast as they could toward the Aogiri pass. It was about mid-day and the sun was high. The horse was panting as Shuga pushed it even harder. Torogai's eyes were gazing off into the distance as she calmly stroked the beast's lathering neck. They hadn't been able to relay the conclusion they had come to the previous night before they were forced to leave the palace. Since that morning, they had stopped often for Torogai to try and reach Tanda, but there was no answer.

"If our conclusions are correct, I hope they were in a safe place when they came back. The Crown Prince is our final hope. I do not wish to report that he has passed away ever again." Torogai grunted her agreement, secretly hoping for the safety of Tanda and Balsa as well. She had known both since they were very young and she often thought of them as dearly as her own children.

"Don't push the beast so hard. Killing him will get us there no faster." Shuga stammered his agreement in surprise and pulled the horse back to a trot. He looked down at the old Yakue Shaman. She hadn't attached one of her many names for him, she was very worried.

"We will find them," Shuga finally said, determination colored his voice. Torogai looked back at him over her shoulder. Despite the strength that she heard behind his voice, his face looked less sure to her knowing gaze.

"No need to get false hope, boy." Shuga didn't respond. The woman was rather pessimistic by nature. Saying anything more would do nothing to change either of their minds. Both would hope for the safety of the group in their own way.

They had slowed the horse to a walk as the pass began getting steeper, then Torogai's sharp eyes caught sight of something moving at the ridge of the pass. Her eyes widened and, as the exhausted horse came to a stop, she knew Shuga had seen it too.

"Do you think . . .," Shuga's voice drifted off as he nudged the horse to move again, bringing him to a trot. The distant figures became more obvious as they drew closer. Shuga's face broke into a gleeful smile as he recognized the warriors.

"It's them." His voice was colored with relief, but Torogai didn't join him even though she could see Chagum as well as the warriors. There were two unmistakable, motionless bodies being carried by the two largest warriors. Even with the distance between them, there was no mistake in what they could see in their demeanors. It still took several minutes to reach them and both took the time to prepare for the worst. Both dismounted when the reached the group, who had stopped when they saw them. They looked over the faces of the warriors, then to Chagum. Torogai sighed. She could easily see that the young prince was trying desperately not to cry. Shuga could see the same thing.

Their gazes finally fell to the two motionless bodies that were laid on the road next to each other. Both faces were pale and their lips were almost completely white. Their lips, however, were turned up in smiles.

"What happened?" Shuga was glad the shaman had asked, because he wasn't sure he could have kept his voice from shaking. Mon took a deep breath and sighed. His eyes were turned down.

"We were brought back from Nayug at sunrise. Just like before. We were over the gorge though. The healer stayed with the spear-wielder to help her. They couldn't even make it to where they would fall on the road." Torogai leaned down and looked closely at Balsa's bare left arm. There were small cuts that indicated a sharp wire had wrapped around her body. The tears in Tanda's sleeves told the same story.

"And?" Torogai's voice didn't waver as she took in the news. Tears were flowing down Chagum's cheeks and dripping off his face to fall on the ground at his feet.

Rai saw where she was looking and continued at a nodded from Mon, whose hands were clenched into fists.

"I tried to get a wire around them before they fell into the mists. I caught them, but they still fell through the mists. We got them onto the road, but by the time we got down the cliff to them, they were as you now see them. We don't know . . . ." His voice trailed off as Torogai continued her inspection, but what was in her eyes was determination.

Jin put his hand on Chagum's shoulder when his shoulders began shaking as he tried to hold back his sobs. The warrior's face was dry, but the pain he was in showed just as clearly on his face as if he had been crying, as it did on every other warrior's face. Shuga lowered his head respectfully to the two on the ground in front of him. He lifted his eyes to the men in front of him and quickly lowered his eyes again. He hated being the bringer of bad news.

"The palace was attacked last night." Faces flashed up from the ground in alarm. Torogai continued before Shuga could open his mouth again.

"The palace was no doubt taken. We don't know the fate of any that were there. I do not think they will have killed the emperor or his family yet, but we cannot go back. We'll go to Tanda's. Saya and Tohya were going to wait for us there. The invasion seems to have been directed only at the palace." Torogai sighed as she finished her inspection, all were surprised at the smile on her face.

"Who dared to attack the New Yogo Empire?" Mon's voice was colored with hidden rage. Similar rage could be seen beneath the surfaces of the rest of the warriors. Chagum's face only showed horror at the thought of again loosing his family.

"We will discuss this more at Tanda's. Let's go, we need to get them to bed." Mouths fell open at her comment. Chagum's face lifted for a moment and the sunlight shimmered off the tears that still wet his cheeks.

Sorry it took so long again! Been keeping really busy  Hope you all like this chapter and keep reading! Please R&R!


	8. Tanda's Hut

Disclaimer: Don't own Seirei or the characters, but I am having fun with this storyline 

"You mean they'll be okay?" Chagum's voice was colored with hope. Torogai lifted her gaze to his hopeful eyes and nodded.

"If they haven't died yet, they won't any time soon. The poison of Aogiri kills within seconds. They won't wake up until tomorrow at the earliest, but they won't die." Relief colored the faces of all present, despite the news of the attack on the palace. However, that didn't last long.

"Who attacked us?" Shuga looked like he was about to answer Mon's twice posed question, but Shaman Torogai cut him off.

"We'll ride this beast along side you to Tanda's. If we keep up the pace, we'll be to Tanda's before nightfall." The discussion was officially over. The warriors' faces darkened and Chagum, who worried for his family's safety, bit his lip. Shuga simply looked like he was exasperated with the old Shaman, but knew better than to argue. They did need to get Chagum somewhere safe. He nodded his agreement and followed her to the horse the moment later.

The trip to Tanda's was silent, despite the hours it took to reach the small hut. Tohya heard them coming and ran out to meet them. It took Tohya's sharp eyes only a few seconds to understand what had happened and his jaw fell open. Shaman Torogai chased him back inside with an order to prepare two futon for Tanda and Balsa. Tanda's small hut wasn't big enough for everyone. Zen alone would have taken up most of the space once the two futon were laid out. Sun and Hyok, the two smallest warriors, carried in Balsa and Tanda. At Torogai's instruction, they laid them side by side on the two futon as Chagum walked through the door. With a quick examination, Torogai was relieved to see that their lips, though they hadn't moved, were beginning to turn pink. Torogai turned to Shuga, who had come through the door after Chagum.

"Boy, you go explain to those impatient brats. Saya, come help me here. Tohya, go with him and fill in anything he doesn't know." Tohya nodded and took Shuga's arm, pulling him out. The youth had grown in the past year and now stood almost as tall as Shuga, who had no choice but to follow him outside while Torogai and Saya started treating Balsa and Tanda. Chagum knelt at the foot of the two futon, his gaze fixed on their unmoving faces.

"You should go listen as well, Chagum. You family are the ones caught in the middle of this." Chagum looked as though the thought hadn't even occurred to him, then he nodded and walked outside. He looked over his shoulder one more time before disappearing from view.

"They were wearing uniforms from Kanbal. There was no warning. Shaman Torogai and I were in the library when we heard the call go out. We barely made it out before the grounds were overtaken." Shuga had settled on the ground with the warriors and Tohya sitting in a circle. Tohya looked up at Chagum and made room.

"Sit down, Chagum." Chagum complied silently and watched Shuga expectantly. Shuga cleared his throat and continued.

"We ran to Tohya's shop. Shortly after we got there, we saw flames coming from around the palace." Shuga's eyes were wet as he recalled the greedy orange flames licking up toward the star filled sky. Tohya didn't look up from the rock he was prodding with a stick, a habit of his. His sigh, however, brought the group's attention to his part of the story.

"When they got to the shop, Shaman Torogai asked me to do a little investigating. I didn't get much before the Kanbal soldiers started clearing everyone out to make a perimeter. It seems that the royal family is still alive, but . . .," Tohya stuttered to a stop. He prodded the rock hard enough that it was sent skittering away. Chagum didn't know Tohya very well, but he knew him well enough to know that he was almost beyond upset.

"But what," Chagum queried. Tohya wouldn't lift his eyes still. He had found another rock to prod around. Chagum could see Tohya was grinding his teeth. Tohya seemed reluctant to say what he knew, but their expectant gazes were boring into him like arrows.

"One of the Spears read a proclamation from Kanbal's king. He wants Balsa-nee in return for releasing the royal family unharmed and leaving Yogo in peace. They knew about Chagum and Balsa-nee's relationship. I think using Chagum was their original plan, but since he was gone they switched to the entire royal family." Chagum was sitting in stunned silence at the revelation, then anger lit into his face and he leaned sideways until his head was only a few inches from Tohya's.

"What do they want with Balsa so badly that they would risk war with Yogo?!" Chagum's yell made Tohya flinch, he was grinding his teeth again.

"They didn't say and Balsa-nee can't tell us. The Spear said Yogo had one month to bring her to the palace. After a month, they'll start killing the royal family one by one . . . publicly." Chagum gasped and his eyes widened.

"They place the importance of retrieving the spear-wielder at the same level as the royal family. What did she do to get that kind of attention?" Jin's surprised question echoed everyone's thoughts.

"We will give her until the week before the deadline to turn herself in. Then we will force her." Chagum and Tohya both gasped, but everyone else sighed in resignation. Mon, practical as always, had come to the only reasonably possible conclusion. With a swift command, Yun walked into Tanda's hut and retrieved Balsa's spear. When he re-emerged, Chagum and Tohya were angrily trying to make Mon come up with a new plan. Shaman Torogai walked out a moment later and called for silence over the yelling of both boys. She looked troubled.

"What's going on?" Her voice brought both boys to silence and Mon explained the situation again, including his decision to force Balsa to turn herself in if she didn't do it willingly. Torogai's eyes flicked to Yun, who was still holding the spear, and sighed.

"Balsa's expertise is in the spear, but all of you know that she is not limited to the spear. Jiguro trained her mainly in the spear, but she is a natural fighter. Anything can become an able weapon in her hand. Still, I do not believe you will have to force her. Tanda is waking up though, so keep your voices down and do not breathe a word of this until Balsa wakes up." Torogai walked over to Yun, who backed up a step. A nod from Mon had Balsa's spear in Torogai's hand.

Torogai turned and walked back in, leaving those outside in silence. A few minutes passed and they heard movement that must have been Tanda waking up. Chagum was looking at his hands with a grim look on his face.

"It's not fair," Chagum muttered. Tohya looked down at him with a similar look on his face, but he didn't say anything and Chagum continued.

"Balsa . . . finally accepted Tanda's feelings," he said, tears of anger beginning to cloud his vision.

Sorry it took so long. Things happen and I was having a fight with writer's block. Enjoy! Please R&R 


	9. Kanbal

Disclaimer: yadda, yadda, yadda. You know the drill

_After leaving Yogo (3 months after birth of the water spirit) . . ._

Balsa traveled back along the path in the Aogiri that Jiguro and she had taken from Kanbal. She traveled slowly, taking in everything with a new eye. She had never come back this way after Jiguro died and all she had were vague memories from her early childhood. After a week of travel, she came to the place where Jiguro had fought the first Spear sent to assassinate them. While she didn't clearly remember everything about the path they took, she vividly recalled the fight with the Spear. She stood silently for several minutes, unmoving. It had been after that first fight that she had realized just how much danger they were in.

Another week passed before Balsa found the path through the mountain. Despite watching carefully, she had missed it and had to backtrack. She emerged on the Kanbal side of the Aogiri the next afternoon.

As she looked over the terrain that she hadn't seen since she was six years old, the old desire for revenge was kindled. She quickly quelled her rising emotions and continued to the mountain road that would take her into the heart of the city that served as Kanbal's royal city. Her first objective was to determine the state of Jiguro's tribe and his family. It would be tricky to find information if perhaps Rogsam's son or grandson had taken the throne and still harbored the desire to kill her. It was unlikely, but not impossible. She would have to tread carefully. Her next objective was to visit her mother and father's graves. Finding her father's grave may prove more dangerous than trying to find Jiguro's family.

Fall was approaching in Kanbal, but Balsa could see none of the eye-catching colors that would be covering many of the trees in Yogo. After finding what was left of Jiguro's family, which was relatively easy, Balsa searched vainly for her father's grave. He most likely had not been given a marked grave, but she couldn't help looking.

After searching fruitlessly for her father's grave for almost two months, Balsa chose to go in search of her mother's grave. Traveling the now familiar roads of Kanbal, Balsa inquired and quickly located the place where her mother lay.

The grave was a simple headstone with her mother's name engraved in the front. Balsa knelt in front of the grave and respectfully bowed her head. She opened her eyes a moment later when she heard muttering. Two old women saw her look up and quickly walked away, still muttering. Suspicious, Balsa stood and quickly left. She had been followed by various people ever since she began searching for her father's grave and her well honed instincts were telling her that it was time to leave . . . quickly.

As soon as she began walking downhill toward the tunnel in the Aogiri that would take her back to Yogo, she felt the hair on the back of her neck prick. She didn't stop, but her ears began picking out the paces of those walking around her. There was a pair of feet walking at the same pace and in the same direction as she. She could also feel other gazes boring into her from all directions. She was surrounded and the intentions didn't seem to be good. There were too many people where she was. If a fight broke out, innocent people would be hurt. The past seven months that she had spent in Kanbal had familiarized her with the layout of the city and escape routes. She turned down an alley and the single pair of footsteps multiplied into six, but there were still some hiding in the shadows.

Within minutes, Balsa had led her pursuers to a deserted field. Harvest was over and winter was approaching so no one was in any of the fields. She bent down and picked up a handful of the dry soil. She let it slowly fall through her fingers and watched the dirt blow to the side. She closed her eyes and listened as her followers again circled her. She counted fifteen in total, plus another that seemed interested in only watching. She stood again and immediately dodged several arrows that whistled through the air toward her. The sheath came off her spear and she leapt over the small stone wall that hid three of her pursuers. Before they could even draw their swords, she had delivered sharp blows that rendered them unconscious. She knocked several arrows off course as they flew for her. She closely dodged an arrow that flew past her neck. As it passed, she saw that the tip was dipped in poison. She held her spear tightly as half of the remaining attackers surrounded her, blades already drawn. Balsa recognized the style of the swords they held.

"You were sent by the Emperor. Why would he wait until now? I was in Yogo for over a month." None of the assassins spoke. Balsa dodged another arrow and the six attacked simultaneously. Though they were clearly very skilled and experienced fighters, Balsa had all of them unconscious within five minutes. The archers were now her priority. Suddenly, she sensed three far more dangerous presences. They had been hidden in the streets watching. The archers were no longer alive, but the people that she sensed were more dangerous than they had been. She waited a moment and a person soon appeared. He didn't wear a hat or cloak, but he was carrying a spear in his hand and a sword on his back.

"Worthless scum. They didn't even make you break a sweat." Balsa didn't move, but listened as the other two circled around and closed in behind her. One hung back farther with a bow and the other advanced slowly with a pair of swords.

"Why did the Emperor wait until now?" The man was confident as he also began closing in on her.

"We were going to wait until you were in the pass, but these clumsy idiots failed to get you there." Balsa chose not to pose her question again as the two came almost within reach. Again, Balsa dodged a poison tipped arrow, but she didn't wait to be attacked. The man with two swords barely managed to block her thrust as she simultaneously dodged and attacked. She used the end of her spear to throw a wave of dust and rocks at the other's face.

As the fight progressed, it became obvious that the three were almost on par with the Yogo warriors that she had fought beside, but they had one major flaw. Though their combinations were well coordinated and powerful, they clearly were dependent upon a tightly enclosed area. The field Balsa had chosen was spacious and made it easy for her to dodge attacks that would have been almost impossible to dodge in the tunnel.

"Prince Chagum still talks about you." Balsa, panting, retreated in response to the comment. The three assassins regrouped and the archer continued talking.

"The Emperor was getting quite cross with his continual references to things you and the healer taught him." Balsa remained quiet, but her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Not to mention his talk of the street urchins you made him befriend." The archer was now smiling demonically and Balsa knew that the talk was supposed to be riling her, but she couldn't stop her blood from running cold. If anything had happened to Tanda, Shaman Torogai, or Tohya or Saya, she didn't know what she would do.

"We were hired to . . . cut the bonds that the prince had made with the lowlife scum." Balsa felt her anger rage as it had when she fought with Kalbo warrior. She didn't wait for the man to continue as she attacked head on. Her fierceness caught all three by surprise as they scattered in an attempt to confuse her. The archer was the first to fall under her blade. Before him body hit the ground, she spun and blocked the combined attack of the other two. They were forced to retreat rapidly as she switched back to offense again. The fear on their faces grew as her spear cut closer and closer to their bodies. The fight ended shortly after with a final sweep of her spear. Both dropped to the ground and Balsa stalked away, picking up her sheath as she went. As she reached the edge of the field, she heard stirring behind her. She spun around, flinging the sheath off again. She was surprised to see the archer sitting up, uninjured. He turned his gaze on her, but there was no longer any malice.

"What am I doing here?" Balsa knew that she hadn't missed in her deathblow, but the man was clearly alive. There was no blood and no wound. A moment later, the other two stirred, then abruptly sat up. After a few seconds, the three stood and walked away. They didn't look at her, nor did she sense any malice from them. She waited until they were out of sight before turning and walking toward the road.

Before she reached the road, she was again intercepted. This time it was by nine men wielding spears. Balsa stopped and quickly evaluated each of the men. Each of the men bore signs of combat and all were clearly experienced. Balsa couldn't tell if they were looking for a fight or not.

"Why have you been looking for the grave of a traitor?" Balsa held back a sigh. They were looking for a fight.

"No reason."

"You also sought out the children of another traitor and visited the grave of a woman related to a traitor. What has been your purpose here?" Balsa smiled gently.

"You are the ones that have been following me. Have you been questioning the citizens as well?" The man's face didn't show his surprise that she had known she was being followed.

"Are you the spear-wielder that fostered the Crown Prince of Yogo for a year?" Balsa was surprised that the fact Chagum had been fostered by a commoner had gotten out of the palace. Balsa could now sense the hostility of the men surrounding her. She was still tired from her last fight and these men were also highly skilled.

"Why would the King's Spears be interested in something that happened in Yogo?" Balsa watched as the nine men unsheathed their spears. Balsa looked the man in the eye. Now there was nothing, but hostility from the surrounding men. She sighed.

"I'm sorry you must have the wrong person." The level of hostility dropped, but didn't disappear completely.

"Then you wouldn't mind telling us the name of your teacher, spear-wielder. Your talent is incredible." Balsa knew that her style was similar to Jiguro's. She wouldn't be able to deny that her teacher was from Kanbal. And her spear design was the same as that of a King's Spear. She could think of no lie that would appease their curiosity. And the longer she held her silence, the more suspicious they grew.

Sorry it took so long! Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think 


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